Domino is a popular game played with tiles. The pieces are typically made of dark hardwood such as ebony and ivory. They have a number of different types and designs. Depending on the game being played, players can select from a variety of tile sets. Regardless of the type of domino you choose to play, the key to winning is blocking. If you don’t block, your opponent will be able to easily knock you out of the game.
Unlike some card games, the points earned in domino games are based on how many pips are left on the player’s hand at the end of a round. In addition, most scoring games have a set number of points that must be reached before the game is finished. Typically, a target number of points is 150 or 200.
Play begins with a platform of three or four dominoes. A pair of players can play against one another or against a CPU. Players must take turns adding dominoes to the platform. Once the platform has been refilled, each player draws a domino from a stock of seven. When the first player has chosen, they lay the tile face-up in the center of the table.
Once the first domino is laid, the next player must match one end of the domino to part of the first tile. Then, if possible, the second player may also match the domino to a part of the first tile. If the second player cannot match the first domino to a part of the first, the first player must pick up an extra domino. This is called “sleeping” the domino.
Once the first player has placed the first domino, the remaining players are then able to take turns placing tiles. After each round of play is completed, the winning team is awarded the points. Depending on the game, each player can earn points for matching a tile to an open end, chipping out, or achieving certain bonus conditions.
The simplest and most basic version of the game is for two players. Using a double-six domino set, each player will draw seven dominoes. These are then placed on the edge of the playing surface before the other players. One of these tiles is always played to the right of 6-6.
Alternatively, a variant of the game is played with four players. Each player starts with three tiles. After the first player has laid the first tile, the other players then lay their own tiles in order to form a “chain.” Most of the chain is open. However, some games only consider the ends of the chain to be open.
Another variation of the game is called the Draw Game. It is a variant of the Block game. For this game, a double-nine set is required. A double-nine set contains 55 tiles. Using this set, a pair of players can draw a tile each and then play the tile on the table.